Familiar Faces in Lima
by fieldhockey2525
Summary: What happens when Rachel dies, forcing her daughter to move to Lima with her two "uncles", the same town in which her dad lives. Will Ashley Berry ever find out who her dad is with her uncles desperately trying to hide it from her?
1. Chapter 1

"Lima, Ohio. I can't believe I have to move to Lima, Ohio. Sure, it's where my mom grew up, but from what she told me, it's a pretty judgemental and small town. How am I supposed to adjust from New York City to Lima, Ohio?" Ashley Berry thought to herself as she stepped off the plane. She looked at the small airport of her new home. A small wooden sign with peeling letters read, "Welcome to Lima!" Ashley's attention was then caught by her Uncle Kurt calling her. "Ashley!"

"Yes, Uncle Kurt?"

"Welcome to your new home, Sweetie. I know it's not much, but remember, this is where both your mom and I came from." Ashley forced a smile as she grabbed her carry-on from Uncle Blaine. With a sigh, she followed her uncles to baggage claim and later their car. It was a thirty minute drive from the airport to her uncles house, and Ashley was exhausted.

"I'm really tired," Ashley spoke up suddenly. "Can we please turn off the radio so I can try to go to sleep?"

"Sure, Ash. It's been a long day. We'll wake you up when we get to our house." Ashley cringed at the words 'our house'. All of her belongings had been moved in, and her new bedroom was already set up the way her old one was, but it still didn't feel real to her. None of it did. For the past three weeks, Ashley had gone numb. Ever since she got the phone call that wrecked her seemingly perfect world.

FLASHBACK

_It was 11 o'clock on a Friday night, and Ashley was having a "lazy evening" as she and her mom called it. Her mom was late getting home, but Ashley just figured her rehearsal went later. She was just practicing her drums when she heard her cell phone ringing. "Hello?  
Ashley answered. _

_"Ashley Berry?" The voice on the other end of the line asked._

_"Yes, who is this?" _

_"This is Dr. Steinman. There's been an automobile accident involving your mother, Rachel Berry. She is at St. Ignatius Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit."_

_"Thank you, Doctor. I'm on my way." Ashley hung up the phone and began to sprint out of the apartment she and her mom shared, and onto the sidewalk. Her heart was pounding, her head aching. She wasn't much of a runner, but she sprinted the fifteen blocks to St. Ignatius solely on adrenaline. Ashley felt herself ask the receptionist where Rachel Berry's room was, but what she remembered most was walking into her mother's room and seeing the many machines that were keeping her mom alive. "Mom," Ashley sobbed. She reached for her mother's lifeless hand, and felt it against her palm. _

_"Ashley...I love you so much, don't ever forget that." Her mom's voice was barely a whisper, but Ashley caught every word. _

_"Mom, what happened?" She managed to get out between tears. _

_"A drunk driver ran a red light," her mother whispered back to her. "Ashley, I need you to be strong for me. Be a good girl and remember that I will always love you so much. Take this, it means a lot to me." Rachel handed her daughter the 'Finn' necklace she had worn since high school. She started to cry, for all the mistakes in her short life. For not telling Finn he had a daughter, or that she never stopped loving him. She cried for her daughter, who didn't know who her dad was, who had to finish growing up without a mother. _

_"Mom, don't cry," Ashley reassured her mother. "I love you mom. So much," she added. Rachel squeezed her daughter's hand for the last time. _

_Ashley felt her mother's hand grow limp, and she looked up at the heart monitor that was now flatlined. Her mother was gone. DEAD. At just 33 years old. "What's going to happen to me?" She asked herself as she fell on her mother's lifeless chest. Ashley felt her world going black. _

_"I'm 15 years old. I have no mom. I have no dad," Ashley kept repeating to herself when she awoke the next morning. Her "uncles" Kurt and Blaine flew to New York last night, and explained to her that she would be moving to Ohio to live with them in Lima. She couldn't stop crying, but she was relieved that she would have a home with people who loved her. She was sad to leave New York and all her childhood memories behind, but she knew it was for the best. Besides, everything in New York reminded Ashley of her mom, who was never coming back. It was time to start her new life in Ohio. She would have a new house, new school, new friends, and a new life. _

END FLASHBACK


	2. Chapter 2

Ashley absent-mindedly played with the 'Finn' necklace that had been hanging around her neck since her mother had given it to her. She had no idea who Finn was, but she didn't care. The necklace was the last thing her mom would ever give her. Ashley remembered how her mom never took the necklace off. With a sigh, Ashley wiped away a silent tear and returned the necklace to its usual place tucked under her shirt. Rolling over, she looked at the clock sitting on her bedside table. 6:30 AM. "Great, school time," Ashley murmured to herself.

"Ash, sweetie, wake up! It's your first day today!"

"Uncle Blaine, do I have to go? You could homeschool me!" Ashley pleaded.

"Very funny," her uncle laughed. "Have you picked out your outfit yet?"

"Yeah, it's on my chair over there." Ashley pointed to a chair with 'STAR' engraved in the back. It was a present from her mom for her 12th birthday.

"You can't wear a t-shirt and exercise shorts to school!" exclaimed Uncle Kurt, coming up behind his fiancé. Ashley just shrugged. She had never been into fashion, much to her uncles' dismay. To be honest, t-shirts and shorts were all she owned. Ashley had always been more sporty than girly, something her mom used to say she got from her dad. Whoever her dad was.

"Good luck sweetie. We love you!" Ashley waved to her uncles until they drove away. She took a deep breath and walked into McKinley High School for the first time. This was where her mom and uncles went to high school, so at least she knew it wasn't an awful place. Still, Ashley hated being the new kid.

Looking around, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. "Oops! Sorry!" she exclaimed as she bent down to help pick up the books of the boy she just knocked to the ground. "Are you okay? I wasn't watching and I didn't..."

She was cut off by the boy. "I'm perfectly fine," the boy said, beaming up at her. "Are you new here? I don't recognize you."

"Yeah, I'm Ashley. I just moved here from New York City. Today's my first day."

"Wow, New York." The boy looked in awe at the girl. "I'm Tommy Greenfield." he extended a hand to Ashley, which she shook. They both stood up, and Ashley towered over Tommy. "Wow, you're tall!"

"Yeah, my mom says I get that from my dad, whoever he is."

Just as Tommy was about to question why Ashley didn't know her dad, he was interrupted by the bell. "What class do you have?" he asked. "I have Spanish first."

"Me too!" Ashley answered excitedly. Tommy smiled and linked her arm, guiding her to their first class. He knew that sooner or later, Ashley was going to be his best friend.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...**_

"I had so much fun today, thanks for showing me around school!" Ashley said as she hugged Tommy. Her first day could not have gone better. She had even made a really good friend!

"Me too! See you tomorrow, I have glee club rehearsal now." Ashley froze when she heard this. Her mom had been in the McKinley glee club, and so had her uncles!

"Wait, Tommy!" Tommy turned around.

"Yeah?"

"I want to join glee club." Tommy's face lit up when he heard this. He grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled her into the choir room.

"Mr. H, I have someone who wants to audition!" Tommy exclaimed. Ashley looked around the room she was just dragged into. It felt strangely familiar, yet she had never set foot in it before. "Weird," Ashley muttered to herself. It was at that moment she felt twelve pairs of eyes turn her direction. An older man, probably in his thirties, looked at her up and down before speaking. Ashley couldn't help but notice how tall the man was.

"That's great! Hello, I'm Mr. Hudson, and you are...?" The man looked kind enough.

"I'm Ashley," she managed to get out.

"She just moved here from New York!" Tommy added. Ashley just nodded shyly.

"Nice to meet you, Ashley. What song are you going to sing for your audition?"

"Audition?" Ashley repeated. Mr. Hudson nodded.

Ashley panicked. She hadn't sang since her mom died, but maybe it was time to start again. But she didn't have a song ready! Suddenly, it came to her. Ashley knew what song she wanted to sing. It was a song she mastered since the age of ten.

"I'm going to sing Defying Gravity from Wicked," Ashley said, smiling. Her mom would be so proud of her.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...**_

"This doesn't make sense," Finn Hudson thought to himself. Was he just imagining it? Or was this Ashley girl a carbon copy of the Rachel he lost forever?

He knew the moment she opened her mouth to sing the first notes of Defying Gravity. She was just like Rachel, the girl he would never see again, the one that got away. Sure, she was a lot taller, but she also looked like Rachel, and she sang the song exactly how Rachel had sang it seventeen years ago! It was uncanny.

"Finn, stop. Rachel's gone. She's never coming back," he reminded himself as he tried to make a setlist for Regionals. "You're just missing her, so you're trying to find her face anywhere." Still, this Ashley girl had caught his attention. She really was the "new Rachel" of this year's glee club, of that he was sure.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ash, how was school?"

"Awesome, I made a friend and I joined Glee Club!"

"That's great," Uncle Blaine said, smiling. Kurt, however, had a pained look on his face. After Ashley retreated to her bedroom, Kurt finally spoke up.

"We forgot he teaches Glee now," he said quietly.

"Oh," was all Blaine could say, knowing what Kurt meant. "I didn't think of that."

"Me either. Do you think he is suspicious?"

"Maybe. Kurt, maybe we should tell him. I know Finn isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but sooner or later he will wake up and realize that she looks exactly like him and sings exactly like Rachel! Even Finn can put two and two together."

"He's my brother Blaine! Do you know how mad he'll be when he finds out I lied to him for the better part of sixteen years?!" Kurt was hysterical now. "We should have just told him when Ashley was born."

"But we didn't Kurt. Look, everything is going to be okay," Blaine said, comforting his sobbing fiancé. "Finn will find out when the time is right."

Ashley stopped in her tracks. She was at the top of the stairs, ready to ask why her Uncle Kurt was crying, when she heard his name: Finn. Who was he? And what would he find out when the time was right? She glanced at her necklace, determined to find the guy whose name her mother wore around her neck for as long as she could remember. The same name that now hung around her neck. es.

Snapping out of her trance, Ashley went back to her room to play her drums, something she did when she had a lot on her mind.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA. **_

"I'll get it," exclaimed Blaine when he heard the doorbell. "Oh, Finn! Hi, come in."

"Hey, Blaine. I need to talk to you about something." Blaine froze. Oh God. He knew. the look on Finn's face said they had been caught, but his next words said otherwise. "I need help with my set list for Regionals."

"Oh, okay." Blaine breathed a sigh of relief. "Kurt's in the kitchen. Let's sit at the table," Blaine offered, praying that the soundproofing in Ashley's room would prevent Finn from hearing her playing the drums.

"Hey Kurt," Finn said as he ducked under the doorway to his brother's kitchen.

"Finn!" exclaimed Kurt, trying to hide his nerves. "What's up?"

"Well, I need help with my set list for Regionals. And also, I have news."

"Like what?" Kurt asked as they all sat down at the table.

"Well, a new girl auditioned today. She was amazing, just like Rachel. I want her to sing a solo at Regionals, but I can't decide between Defying Gravity, Don't Rain on My Parade, or a duet to Faithfully with the male lead, Ethan."

Kurt spoke up. "You can't replace Rachel, Finn," he said softly. "Having this new girl sing her old songs won't bring her back." Finn looked down, ashamed.

"I guess you're right," he said somberly. "I just don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out Finn. You always do. Now go home, I know you haven't slept since the funeral."

"Thanks, guys. See ya later." And with that, the gentle giant disappeared out of the kitchen and onto the driveway. Kurt and Blaine waited until they heard a truck engine to continue their conversation.

"That was close," Blaine said what Kurt was thinking. He reached out and grabbed Kurt's hand. They both knew that sooner or later, the truth was going to come out. And a sixteen year old secret would be uncovered forever.


	4. Chapter 4

FLASHBACK

_"Rach, I don't understand. You can't tell me you didn't feel anything that night. I never should have let you go. Please Rach," Finn pleaded, refusing to believe they were really done. Again. _

_"Finn, we can't keep doing this. Your life_ **finally has direction, **_and I'm not screwing that up."_

_"You won't be. We're made for each other. How many times are we going to break up just to realize we BELONG TOGETHER?" His voice broke as he spoke softly into the phone. _

_"Finn, we're really done. FOREVER. I'm sorry, I just can't keep doing this." Then she hung up. Rachel sat on her bed sobbing, when something caught her eye. There it was, that stupid white stick, sitting there with a bright pink plus sign on it, taunting her from across the room. She put her head in her hands and cried some more. How could she be pregnant at 18? _

_It had all started at Mr. Shue's almost-wedding. Finn just looked so handsome, and when they sang together, something magical happened. They spent one last amazing night together, and now here they were, eight weeks later, apart and heartbroken, both for different reasons. Finn thought he was getting the love of his life back, only to have her break his heart again, and Rachel was heartbroken on top of the fact that she was eighteen, pregnant, and had no intention of telling Finn he was going to be a dad. "Am I doing the right thing?" she asked herself, holding her almost non-existent baby bump. Two days ago, when she found out, she made Kurt and Blaine promise not to tell Finn. Kurt was very apprehensive at first, but he softened when he saw Rachel break into tears and explain that she didn't want to be an obligation when it seemed like Finn's life was finally headed somewhere. _

_Still, Kurt found himself wondering the same thing as Rachel. Was this the right thing to do? How was he supposed to keep it from his own brother that the love of his life was carrying his baby? Still, he decided to keep Rachel's secret. No matter how messy things would get when the truth came out in the future. _

END FLASHBACK

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA.**_

Finn spend all of Monday feeling extremely proud of himself. Not only had he picked the perfect set list for Regionals, but he had a foolproof plan for finding out more about this mysterious mini-Rachel! "Alright guys, we're going to do things a little differently today. Since we have a new member, we are going to go around the room and say our names, and anything else about ourselves we would like to share. Who's first?"

As usual, Tommy's hand shot into the air. "I'm Tommy, and a fun fact about me is that I have seen Wicked 15 times!" Finn noticed Ashley tense up when he said that. He subtly watched her as they each shed a little light on who they were. After what seemed like an eternity to Finn, it was Ashley's turn, as she was the last to go.

"Hi...uhm...I'm Ashley. I'm from New York, and the reason that I moved here is because my mom died and I have no dad, so I live with my mom's best friends from high school." Finn noticed how sad Ashley looked when she spoke about her mom, which was understandable. He felt the same way when he talked about Rachel. Ashley was more relieved that everyone knew her story, and no one would further question her on why she moved from one of the greatest cities on earth to Lima, Ohio. While listening to Ashley talk, Finn decided he was going to do whatever it took to get to know the girl who reminded him so much of his lost love. He felt a strange connection to her, one he couldn't explain.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA**_

_One week later. _

"To celebrate our landslide victory at Regionals, you are all invited to a lock-in at my house this weekend, where we will stay up all night and make an awesome set list for Nationals!" Finn looked proudly around the choir room as the students murmured excitedly about the co-ed slumber party. He knew it was going to be a big hit. Only one person didn't look ecstatic: Ashley. Finn just couldn't figure her out, and it bothered him a lot.


	5. Chapter 5

Finn was just about to lock the auditorium when he heard loud banging on the drums. Being very quiet, he craned his neck to get a better look at the mysterious drummer. There she was, Ashley! She was hitting the drums repeatedly, and she was actually very good. "This is my chance," Finn thought to himself. "Hey, watcha doin?" he asked casually, as Ashley jumped, obviously startled.

"Oh, hey Mr. H. I didn't hear you come in. I was just playing before volleyball practice. Sometimes banging on the drums takes my mind off things." Finn watched as she flashed him a half-grin identical to his own, revealing a dimple in her left cheek.

"Yeah, I used to do the same thing back in high school," he said, reciprocating Ashley's crooked grin.

"But now I'm late for practice," Ashley sighed. She stood up to reveal a familiar number on her warm-up uniform.

"You're number 5," Finn gasped.

"Yeah, it's my favorite number. Kind of a lucky charm, but I don't really know why."

Finn couldn't believe his ears. He used to say the same thing when people asked him why his football and basketball number was always 5. This was too weird for him to handle. Was this some sort of joke? Surely Ashley didn't know anything about his high school life?

"See you at the lock-in, Mr. H," Ashley said, turning to leave.

"Yeah, you too," Finn mumbled. Something weird was going on, he just couldn't figure out what. But he needed to ask her something. Something that had been bothering him all day. "Ashley, wait."

"Yeah?" She asked, turning around.

"Why were you so upset earlier about the lock-in?"

"Oh, yeah." Ashley's face grew dark. "I wasn't sad because of the lock-in. I was upset because...well today's my birthday." She looked at the floor.

"That makes you sad?" Finn asked incredulously.

"It's just that..." Ashley was hesitant about opening up to her glee teacher, but she felt strangely comfortable around him, so she continued. "Growing up, my mom was pretty busy. Don't get me wrong, she was a great mom, and she worked really hard to care for me, but she always had an audition or rehearsal to go to. Every year on my birthday, she'd cancel everything and we'd spend the whole day together. But now she's gone. All I have are the memories and this day just reminds me of everything that I've lost. Finn couldn't help but notice Ashley desperately trying to fight back tears.

"I know it probably won't make you feel any better, but I know what you're going through. I just lost someone close to me, my high school sweetheart. I never stopped loving her, but now I'll never get the chance to tell her that. It sucks Ashley, I get that, so if you ever need to talk, I'm right here."

When Finn said this, Ashley didn't know what came over her. She felt secure and unjudged, so she decided to skip practice (she was already pretty late anyway) and take her teacher up on his offer to talk with her. The two shared memories of their loved ones; Finn of his once-fiancé, and Ashley of her mom. What they didn't realize was that they were helping each other grieve the same person: Rachel Berry.

**_FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA..._**

Friday night came soon enough, and it was time for the lock-in at Finn's house. "Are we sure this is a good idea?" Kurt asked Blaine in a hushed tone as Ashley packed an overnight bag for the lock-in.

"Kurt, you need to relax. Everything will be fine," Blaine whispered back.

"I'm ready!" Ashley called, carrying an almost empty bag down the stairs. Kurt signed, knowing that a toothbrush and more exercise clothes were all that the bag contained.

"Could she be any more like Finn?" Kurt asked himself, grabbing his keys from the counter. He really hoped this night went off without a hitch.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...**_

It was 2:30 AM, and the lock-in was at a standstill. They had picked two good songs for Nationals, and everyone was exhausted, so by 2:00, there was no one awake at what was supposed to be an "all-nighter".

Ashley stirred in her sleep. She always had sleep issues, so this wasn't out of the ordinary. Sighing, Ashley got up, careful not to make too much noise and rouse her sleeping teammates. Once she successfully navigated her way through the minefield of sleeping bodies, she found herself exploring the hallway of her Glee teacher's home. Most of the time walking around would help Ashley get back to sleep faster. She was just about to turn back when a light caught her eye. She followed the light, and heard a light sobbing coming from what she assumed to be the guest bedroom. Curiosity got the better of her, and she gravitated toward the door, trying to get a look inside.

"Hello?" Ashley asked, pushing open the door. She froze when she looked around the nearly empty room. Right in the center of the room was Mr. H, clutching a picture while surrounded by old photo albums and CD's.

"Ashley?" Finn looked up, embarrassment written all over his face.

"I'm...so...sorry," Ashley stammered.

"What are you doing awake?"

"I...uh...I have sleep issues. Sometimes it just helps to walk around. I heard crying, so I just wanted to see who it was, and make sure they were okay. I never...I'm sorry," she said, backing out of the room.

"Ashley, wait, I want to show you something." Ashley walked over to her distraught teacher slowly. "I wanted to show you my old glee club. I'm sorry you had to see me...uhh...you know..."

"I'm sorry I barged in," Ashley said sincerely. "You were in glee club?" she added quickly.

"Yeah, at McKinley. We were the only national champions so far," Finn said proudly, handing Ashley the picture he was holding. "You know, I have a lot of problems with sleep myself. Sometimes I come in here just to look at all my old high school stuff. The reason I was so emotional was because the girl I was telling you about, the one who died, is in this picture. In fact, our duet was the reason we won Nationals that year."

Ashley looked down when Finn stopped talking, and her heart skipped a beat. She kept blinking, expecting for it all to be a dream, that her glee teacher didn't actually know her mom, that it was all her imagination, but the picture didn't go away. There she was, Ashley's mom, beaming up at her, holding a trophy that read '2012 National Show Choir Champions' with her arm around none other than, you guessed it, Mr. Hudson. "This isn't happening," Ashley thought to herself. "My mom was not Mr. H's high school sweetheart. That's not even...He didn't seem to know she had a kid..."

"Are you okay?" Finn asked, tearing Ashley from her thoughts.

"Uhm...yeah. I was just surprised to see my uncles," Ashley lied. Well, technically it was the truth, but she was more shocked to see her mom, and realize that Mr. H. had confessed his love for her mom to her.

"Who are your uncles?" Finn asked slowly, already knowing the answer. Ashley pointed to Kurt and Blaine.

"They aren't my real uncles," Ashley explained quickly when she saw the look on her teacher's face. "Just my mom's best friends."

"Who was your mom?" Moment of truth. Finn's breath caught as Ashley pointed a slender finger at the petite brunette holding the trophy in the picture. His suspicions were confirmed.

"Rachel had a kid..." Finn murmured to himself, trying to hold back the fresh tears that had formed in his eyes. Then something hit him. "Who's your dad?" Finn asked. His mind went back to all the times Ashley had shot him his own signature dimpled half-smile. It all made sense, the number 5, Ashley's height..."I know you don't know him, but do you at least have a name?"

"Actually I don't." Ashley started to cry. "My dad doesn't even know I exist. My mom never told him she was pregnant."

"Why?" Finn's mind was reeling. He may be a little slow, but he had this weird feeling in the pit of his stomach...

"I guess because they were so young. She used to say something about not wanting to screw up his life, that it **finally had direction**, or something like that.

Finn's heart stopped. Those were the same words Rachel had said to him when she broke up with him for the last time. He looked up at Ashley. The way her eyes looked identical to his own. Even her facial features reflected his. No. This wasn't happening. She couldn't be...Could she?


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you okay?" Ashley asked, bringing Finn back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm..." he trailed off when he saw the all-too familiar necklace hanging around Ashley's neck. "Where did you get that?!" Finn demanded, staring at Ashley.

"My mom gave it to me right before she died. I don't even know who Finn is, but I think he meant a lot to my mom."

"I know who Finn is," Ashley's glee teacher said quietly.

"You do? Who is he?"

"He's your Father, Ashley." Finn's face grew solemn.

"You know my Father?"

"Better than I know anyone else. Ashley, would you like to hear a story?"

Ashley was a little taken aback. What was she, four? "What kind of story?" she asked hesitantly.

"A story about your parents."

"Uhm, okay."

Finn looked into his daughter's chocolate brown eyes before starting his tale.

"Once upon a time there was a stupid jock named Finn and a beautiful, smart performer named Rachel. They both loved to sing, but Finn cared more about his reputation and was embarrassed to be associated with the glee club. Rachel, however, changed Finn's perspective on things. Sure, they had rocky moments in their relationship, but no one could deny that what Finn and Rachel had was real. For two years they dated on and off, until one day Finn couldn't contain his love for Rachel anymore. So he proposed. She said yes, even though they were only seniors in high school. The plan was to start a life in New York together. But one day, disaster struck." Finn paused to look at Ashley's expression. He was not at all surprised to see her eyebrows furrowed like his always did when he got confused. She was obviously listening very intently to the story of her parents, apparently forgetting that Mr. H had already confessed he was Rachel's sweetheart.

"Finn got word that none of the schools he applied to in New York accepted him, so he made a snap decision to break up with Rachel, afraid he was holding her back because he was a failure. Finn sent Rachel to New York, and even though they were both devastated, Rachel got on the train and never looked back. For months they lived in separate states, being miserable without each other. Then one day, Finn and Rachel both received invitations to their former glee teacher's wedding."

"How do you know Finn, Mr. H?" Ashley interrupted, getting impatient.

"I'm getting there. Anyway, at the wedding, something magical happened. Finn and Rachel spent one more beautiful night together, and then the next morning, Rachel was gone. About a month later, Rachel called Finn, because she was pregnant. However, Finn told Rachel of his plans to go to college, and that's when she decided to keep you a secret. He kept trying to call her, but she either hung up or told him they were done forever. So 16 years went by, and one day Finn got a call saying that Rachel had died. He thought he would never be happy again." Finn paused to wipe away a falling tear.

"But one day he saw a girl who reminded him of Rachel in every way. He needed to find out more about this girl. And eventually, he did. That girl was you Ashley, and Finn knows you are his daughter. There is no denying it, you're exactly like him. And Rachel."

"I am?" Ashley started to cry again. "When can I meet him?"

"Ash, you already have."

"What?"

"I don't think I've officially introduced myself to you. My name is Finn Hudson."

Ashley felt like she was going to be sick. "Wait, you're Finn? But...you're my...I don't...dad?" She finally got the words out, and when she looked up at the man she now realized was her Father, she knew couldn't stay in that room any longer. Ashley got up and ran, unable to look back. She completely ignored Finn calling her, and didn't stop running until she reached her uncles' house.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN**__** LIMA.**_

"Finn, what are you doing here at 3 in the morning?" Kurt asked sleepily when he answered the door. "You look like hell, by the way."

"Is Ashley here?" Finn asked, ignoring Kurt's comment. "I know she lives here. Please, Kurt, you have to help me find her." Finn pleaded, out of breath from running all the way to his brother's house.

"Why did she leave your house?!" Blaine asked frantically, coming up behind Kurt.

"I, uhm, kind of told her I was her dad."

"How did you..." Kurt trailed off.

"That's not important Kurt. And don't get me wrong, I'm furious that you two kept her a secret from me. But none of that matters now. I have to find my daughter. I already lost Rachel, I can't lose her too."

"You can stop worrying, I'm right here," Ashley said in a small voice, emerging from the dark living room. "You can go home now."

"Ashley can we please talk about this?"

"Mr. Hudson, Finn, Dad, whoever you are, you have to give me time to process all this. We've only known each other for a couple of weeks, and now you confess that you're my father, and you expect me to be okay with it right away? Well, I'm not. I've gone sixteen years without a dad, I need time to think about things. I'm not ready to talk to you. At least not yet."

"Fine. Take your time. But please, Ashley, let me get to know you. I've missed out on sixteen years with you, I don't want to miss out on any more," Finn said with a hint of pain in his voice. He turned around and started the long trek home, his mind replaying what just happened.

"Ash, do you want to talk about it?" Blaine asked, breaking the silence.

"No. I just want to sleep."

After Ashley's door shut, Kurt spoke up. "What are we going to do? They both hate us. I knew this would happen."

"It will be okay, Kurt. We'll figure it out together, like we always do."

"I hope you're right."

"I always am." With that, Kurt and Blaine headed upstairs to their bedroom, where they each had a rather restless night. Neither of them could believe that Finn finally knew the truth about Ashley.


	7. Chapter 7

Finn awoke to the sounds of the glee kids talking loudly in his living room. He heard them laughing at how much of a failure the lock-in had been. But Finn's mind wasn't on Nationals, or the lock-in, or even all the kids rummaging through his pantry looking for breakfast. He couldn't stop thinking about Ashley. Did she hate him? Would she ever let him get to know her? Finn stayed in bed for another five minutes before he felt like his brain was about to explode. Sighing, he put on a new shirt and sweatpants and headed into the living room.

"Good morning, guys. Did you all have a nice lock-in?"

"Yeah, too bad we all fell asleep before 2:30!" All the kids laughed at Tommy's comment. "Hey, Mr. H, have you seen Ashley? Her stuff is here, but she's not."

"Uhm, last night Ashley got sick. She didn't want to wake anyone by getting her stuff, so I told her I would bring it to school on Monday," Finn answered, hoping the kids wouldn't question his lame excuse further. "So, who wants waffles?" he asked, changing the subject. He took out the waffle maker and tried his best to think of anything but Ashley, but it wasn't working. There were so many thoughts running through his mind. He was a dad, he was responsible for another human life, a life he hadn't known he was a part of until last night. Why did he feel so guilty? It's not like he knew he was a father, not like Rachel told him and he abandoned her. It wasn't even remotely his fault, yet he still felt responsible for never being in Ashley's life. "I'm going to get my daughter to love me if it's the last thing I do," Finn thought to himself, surprised at his sudden determination.

_**FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN LIMA...FAMILIAR FACES IN**__** LIMA...**_

Ashley woke up with a weird feeling in her stomach. Was last night just a dream? Surely Mr. H wasn't actually her dad...then again, it all felt too real to be a dream.

"Ashley? Are you awake?" Uncle Kurt's soft voice tore Ashley from her thoughts.

"I am now," she muttered.

"Can you come downstairs please? We want to talk to you about last night. Please, Ash, this is important."

"Fine," Ashley said, following her uncle out of her room. So that settles it. Definitely not a dream.

When the three of them were seated at the kitchen table, Blaine spoke up. "Ashley, we know you're upset, but try to talk to us, okay? What are you feeling? How are you dealing with all of this?"

"I'm fine," Ashley said, her voice emotionless.

"No, you're not."

"You don't know that. You don't know anything." Ashley was surprised at how vicious her words sounded. This wasn't like her. She should be happy she finally knew who her dad was. It's all she's ever wanted, since she was a little girl. So why was she so angry? She didn't even know the answer to that question.

"You need to talk to us. We're only trying to help."

"Well, then stop trying! I don't need you to play my parents anymore, okay?! I'm not your charity case!" Ashley looked from one uncle to the next. They both looked taken aback by her cruel words.

"We're your family, Ashley! Families stick together," Kurt said, tears forming in his eyes. "We will always protect you, please don't shut us out. This is a lot to take in, we get that this is hard for you, just let us help. We almost lost you once, we just can't let that happen again."

Ashley stared at her uncle. How dare he bring up her past like that? He knew she would rather forget that chapter of her life. "You don't know the half of what happened to me," she snapped. When she said this, every wall she had built over the years crumbled to the ground. Sure, she acted happy, she kept it together for her mom, but no one knew what dark secret she had been hiding for the past six years of her life. She felt fresh, hot tears pouring out of her eyes and down her cheeks.

"It wasn't fair of them to do that to you, Ash. That's why you're here. With us. You are not our charity case, we love you very much. We are only saying that maybe getting to know Finn would be a good thing. He would never hurt you, Ashley. He isn't like that."

"I never thought my own granddads would be like that either, but they were. Excuse me if I don't trust someone I just met who claims to be my dad." Who was this girl? Obviously the side of Ashley she desperately tried to hide. The one who had been hurt, humiliated, and beaten down. The one who couldn't tell her own mom or uncles what her granddads were doing to her. The one who had no strength to continue living. That's why, when this side of Ashley came out last year, her uncles had come to her house to find her unconscious on the floor with an empty pill container by her side. She wasn't as strong as everyone thought she was; she had a dark side, one that was coming out now despite her attempts to conceal it.

"You can't run from this, Ashley. Not this time. Finn is on his way over for lunch right now. It's time to talk about this, and..." Blaine was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

"Look, he's here. It's now or never, Ash," Kurt said as he went to answer the door. A few seconds later, Ashley and Blaine heard, "They're in the kitchen. Look, Finn, be sensitive to Ashley. She just lost her mom, her house, and her friends, and now she has to decide what she wants to do with this father/daughter relationship. Go easy on her, it hasn't been a walk in the park lately."

"I just want her to know me, Kurt. I want to be the dad she never had. The dad I know I can be. I just want her to give me a chance."

Ashley looked at the ground as she noticed her uncle and dad walk into the kitchen.

"Hi, Ashley," Finn said awkwardly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hi..." Ashley murmured.

"So, you want to go to Breadstix for lunch?"

"Alone? With you?" Ashley looked frantically at her uncles. She wasn't ready for this, it was all happening too fast.

"Ash, it's okay. Finn won't hurt you. He just wants to get to know you. If you need anything, you can call us okay?" Uncle Kurt said, trying to sound reassuring. He was failing miserably.

"Okay," Ashley said, still not convinced. She was extremely angry for no apparent reason, and she didn't know if this was such a good idea. "I just assumed when you said he was coming over for lunch we would be here, at home, all together..."

"If you don't want to go, I understand," Finn said, obviously disappointed.

"No. It's fine, I'll go. It's better to get this over with now." Ashley followed Finn to his beat up truck and got in the passenger seat. It was a silent ride to the restaurant, the only sound the squealing of the brakes.

"You should really get those brakes fixed," Ashley said when they arrived at Breadstix.

"Yeah, I know. But I'm kind of used to them," Finn replied. He smiled when he was reminded of how often Rachel told him he needed to get his brakes fixed. Now here he was, driving the same truck with the same squeaky brakes, getting chastised for it by his and Rachel's daughter.

Once they were seated, Finn found it hard to find conversation. Before he knew Ashley was his daughter, they spoke so freely about everything. What happened?

"So, can I ask you something?"

"I guess," Ashley answered, poking at the vegan ravioli on her plate. Like mother, like daughter.

"Why do you live with Kurt and Blaine? Why not Rachel's dads?" Ashley tensed up. This was the one topic she had been hoping to avoid. However, Finn was her dad. He deserved to know why she was so quick to shut him out. Why she was so afraid of him and other authoritative men.

"Look, this is really hard to explain, so bear with me," she began quietly. "My life isn't all rainbows and sunshine, so don't be fooled by the smile I plaster on my face every morning. I've been through a lot, and I don't like to talk about it, but at the end of the day, you have a right to know. You are my, uhm, dad, after all," she said with a hint of hesitation.

"I promise I won't judge you for anything, Ashley. I just want to help. I want to be a good dad."

"I know. And I'm trying to warm up to you, it's just not easy for me to let people in. Especially not after I was physically and sexually abused for six years of my life." Ashley looked up at her father. He looked like he was just hit in the face with a brick.

"You were abused?" he asked, his voice cracking. There were tears forming in his eyes. "By who?"

"My granddads."

Finn let the tears fall from his eyes freely.


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't understand," Finn finally said after a few moments of him just sitting there crying. "Why did they abuse you?"

"They blamed me for my mom not being able to go to NYADA. She was their little girl, their star, but they hated me, ever since she decided to keep me and put her dreams on hold. They assumed my dad was some one-night stand, so the only person they could take their anger out on was me. The verbal abuse became a regular occurrence, but I was 10 when the physical and sexual abuse started. Every time my mom asked them to watch me, the beatings got worse. I tried to hide in my room so they would leave me alone, but then it only progressed from there. Hiram would come in my room, duct tape my mouth shut, and rape me. Leroy would come in after and hit me until I couldn't hardly breathe. It was always places where clothes would cover my purple skin. They told me if I told anyone, they would kill me. After a while, I started to think that wouldn't be a bad thing. Still, I didn't want to hurt my mom. She had been through enough. Raising a kid on your own in an unfamiliar city is hard enough as it is. She didn't need this drama in her life. When I turned fifteen, I started to hate myself. I felt so dirty, so unclean, and unloved, even though I knew my mom loved me very much. I was in such a dark place, and one day, I wanted it all to end. So I took a bunch of pills, thinking it would be a painless way to end it all. No more abuse, no more rape, no more suffering, nothing. But an hour later, Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine found me unconscious on the bathroom floor, next to the empty bottle, and took me to the emergency room. I survived, and that's when I had to come clean about it all. My mom blamed herself for everything, which is what I tried to avoid in the first place. My granddads went to prison, which is where they still are today. Things got better, until Mom died, and then my uncles took me in, because I had nowhere else to go. It finally started to fade away this year, I was finally happy, and then Mom died. But I pulled through. Meeting Tommy, and everyone else, joining Glee club, it made me forget about the pain. But when you said you wanted to get to know me as my dad, I panicked. Ever since I was raped I have a fear of men in authority. I was afraid of getting hurt. I know you said you would never hurt me, but I've been through too much to trust people's words. So, now you know about my past. All the things I endured during my childhood. I'm sorry I ran last night, but I freaked out. You would have too if you were in my position." Ashley looked up with teary eyes at Finn, who was crying hysterically and drawing the attention of everyone else in the restaurant.

"I'm so sorry," Finn sobbed. "It's my fault. It should have been me getting hurt, not you. You didn't do anything wrong, it's not fair! I should have been there, I should have never let Rachel break up with me like that. We could have been a family. No one could have hurt you!"

Ashley wiped away her own tears when she saw her dad cry. He felt really bad, she could tell. "Look, you can't blame yourself. It's not your fault, or mine, or anyone else's but Hiram and Leroy, okay? I told you that story because I see how hard you're trying. You want to make this relationship work, I get that. So I'm trying too. Don't feel sorry for me, or worry about me, I'm never going to try to end my life again. I'm in a better place now than I was last year. Sure, I may act a little angry, but I just don't want to get hurt again. I really do want to get you know you as my dad, Finn. You deserved to know everything about my past."

"Thank you for trusting me."

"Honestly, I feel better now that you know. We shared some pretty personal stuff before I knew you were my dad. I felt I could really trust you, and I'm getting that feeling back. I don't feel like I have to hide anymore."

"You can tell me anything, Ashley. Just remember that. This is weird, and scary, but I'm ready to be your dad. I'm just sorry I couldn't be there for you sooner, and save you from all that pain." It was easy to notice the guilt in Finn's voice.

"Like I said before, none of this was your fault. Can we head home now? I'm really tired, and I think my uncles will want to talk to you when I go to sleep."

"Of course. But one more thing before we go. You see, Kurt's my step-brother, so he's actually technically your blood-uncle. I just thought you should know that."

"Really? That's awesome. I never thought I had actual uncles before!" Finn watched his daughter smile for the first time all day. It made him smile just knowing he caused her to feel happiness after talking about such a depressing point in her life. He drove back to his brother's house in silence, still taking in all of what Ashley had told him. It made him feel so damn guilty, yet sad at the same time. It was his job to protect her, and she had almost lost her life because he was never there when she needed him. One thing Finn knew for sure, he had to step up and be the dad he never had growing up. Finn was so lost in his thoughts about the last day and a half that he almost forgot someone who he really needed to tell about Ashley: his mom.


End file.
